The Octavia confirms its place as a class-leading hatchback purely by the amount of space on offer, with a boot that’s longer and far more useable than almost any of its rivals. It’s also incredibly well priced for a car with such substance and gets plenty of equipment regardless of which trim you choose. For a practical, useable and enjoyable hatchback, it’s hard to beat the Octavia.

Engine:

A good engine if value for money is a priority, because it’s super-economical. However, the five-speed gearbox makes it a little noisy on the motorway, it’s not the most muted engine when revved hard, and neither is it that quick.